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Joshua L. Broadway

DYS 5043

Article Review Activity: Dyslexia and the Classroom

Arkansas Tech University

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Dyslexia and the Classroom

I chose the article, Literacy Skill Development of Children with Familial Risk for

Dyslexia through Grades 2, 3, and 8. The particular reason for selecting it was in relation

to my own children and my ability to pass down potential difficulty in learning. I was in

inclusive classrooms till the 4th grade and struggled learning till I graduated high school.

However, the dyslexia article as far as my interests are concerned deal with the specific

context of passing down familial risk but not necessarily dyslexia itself. The study follows

the comparative group evolution of dyslexic students in the classroom with familial risk,

those without dyslexia but with familial risk, and those without dyslexia or familial risk

from 2nd to 3rd, and lastly to 8th grade.

The study took place in the Finnish language which is similar to English in order,

being an SVO language. Despite this similarity, I assume some context of the language

could potentially cause minor variability based on their inherent differences. The results

from the longest classroom study from 3rd to 8th grade indicated students develop at the

same rate, just did not start at the same level. While, from grade 2 to 3 in the study dyslexic

students had largest improvement rate. Students with familial risk are worse than those

without risk in reading and spelling, and those with dyslexia are least developed in reading

and spelling. In correlation to a race, a student behind another student going at the same

speed, is still going to be behind the same student at the end of a race. Although, it should

be understood this equivalent rate of development as seen from older students only applies

if all students receive and retain basic reading skills otherwise reading problems persist

more for those with familial risk, or dyslexia itself, than those without risk.
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One phrase stuck with me after the reading, “if there are no signs of reading

difficulties in Grade 2, one can anticipate typical literacy development also in later grades”

(Torppa, 2015, pg. 138). So, if my youngest son does well by second grade I should most

likely not have issues with him developing dyslexia or other related learning disabilities

because they start at inception. This is informative knowing with proper reading and

spelling skills, development will be at a similar rate minus initial starting point. My

investment in the development of my children is important, so I started early. The quote

and my interest in learning disability risk factors, as it pertains to hereditary are presented

in the course content. They both relate to dyslexia structured language teaching content in

limited capacity of cause and correlation of individual factors from chapter 2.

Understanding individual factors, specifically hereditary ones is effective information when

assessing and maximizing student potential with structured language teaching in the

classroom. Knowing is part of the battle. The battle being dyslexia in this instance.
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Work Cited Page

Eklund, K., Torppa, M., Aro, M., Leppanen, P. T., & Lyytinen, H. (2015).
Literacy Skill Development of Children With Familial Risk for Dyslexia Through Grades
2, 3, and 8. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 107(1), 126-140.